Hong Kong Daily Bemoans Ad by Fan of Korean Star

A Hong Kong-based newspaper is miffed that a fan there took out a whole-page color advert in support of a Korean star in the Chosun Ilbo on Sunday.

The ad wishing actor Kim Soo-hyun all the best in the Baeksang Arts Awards is rumored to have been paid for by a mysterious wealthy woman in Hong Kong.

A full-page color ad in a daily newspaper normally costs over W10 million (US$1=W1,021).

The Apple Daily said, "Such ads are usually put in the newspapers or on public transport by fan clubs, but this one stood out because it was paid for by a single person. Kim's fans supported this woman, but there were also criticisms that the timing could have been more considerate. It could have been a congratulatory message after the award ceremony. The fact that it came out before the ceremony betrays excessive infatuation with a celebrity."

One comment on the paper's website read, "That money could have been used to send poor kids to school or feed them or pay for operations."

Meanwhile, Kim won the awards for best new actor and most popular star.